Tiger, Tiger

October 6: Tiger, Tiger, originally uploaded by RedRedCompletelyRed.

We're way over half way through our "Year of the Tiger" photo-a-day, now, and would still highly highly recommend doing it. Not only do we have an obscene amount of photos of Tilly, but as the year goes on and on, just the challenge of finding something around the house that I haven't already photographed makes for quite the creative challenge!

Knitting

I've started on my largest knitting project yet: a baby blanket for little Tilly. It's a lovely simple pattern, just calling for one colour of wool, but it's done in what's called 'basket weave' stitch, which adds a bit of fun, and keeps me interested in knitting it!

(You can see the blanket in the bottom right corner)

It's a lovely dusky pink, and though I do wish it was a bit softer (it felt softer when it was wound up!), I'm sure we'll find a use for it. It takes four balls of wool, and so far, I'm on ball number 2... so still a lot of knitting to go! Luckily, it's rainy today, so I should be quite productive.

Oh, yes, and I've already spilled a glass of pineapple juice on the blanket, so I'm eager to finish it so I can give it a wash! :)

Happy Valentine's Day!

Starting today, and running for the next year, I'm going to take at least one photo every day. My Mum suggested this little project, and is setting up a Flickr group some time soon to show all the photos we all take. Exciting!

I got a little nervous today about being able to take a good enough photo, so took a whole load!

Justin's method of keeping the shed closed!

The shed roof

Justin and Bella on our Valentine's walkies

A sweet little flag we saw on the walk

Our Valentine's cards... Justin put a pack of 1994 basketball trading

cards in with my Valentine's card,

which gave me a good laugh!

Apparently, I got some good ones, and he put them in collector's cases for me!

We're barbequeing for lunch, and then off to the cinema... what fun!

Hope you're having a lovely, love-filled day, too!

Finished Quilt

I added the final touch: a little felt heart with Justin's initials on it. It gives the quilt a much needed touch of red, I think!

This is the patch in the center. Perfect for 2010, the year of the Tiger! I'd picked this fabric out as potential baby fabric a few months ago, but now we know she's a girl, the dark blue doesn't really appeal to me for baby things anymore. Luckily, it's Justin's favourite!

Here's the whole thing, laid out. Yes, it goes perfectly with our Ikea duvet cover!

And this is my favourite quilt, the Dog Park quilt that my Mum made for me last year. It inspired the choice of fleece for backing... so comfy, and nice and light-weight. Now, hopefully, I'll have it all to myself again!

Justin's Shirt Quilt

The patchwork top all assembled, with a fun polka-dotty border:

I've sewn on the fleece backing now, and turned the border over onto the back so it serves as binding, too. So, really, I'm just adding finishing touches and it'll be ready very soon!

Travels

Justin's away in Denver this week, and so I'm turbo-quilting in an attempt to get his shirt-fabric quilt finished before he gets back! So far, so good. All 64 rectangles are cut out, and half are sewn together. Here's a little taste of the fabrics:

On Sunday, I got a frantic call from poor Justin to say that he was really upset that he'd forgotten to pack the Family Heart I made him to take on his travels. Of course, I hadn't expected him to remember it! I'd wrapped it in a T-shirt at the bottom of his bag, and he was so pleased to find it later on that night. But it was lovely to know that he does see some meaning in it!

Back to quilting... I can get another row sewed together before work!

Family Heart

A couple of days ago, Justin was offered a new position with his company, one that will require rather a lot of travelling. And so, as a little present for him (and fun project for me!), I thought I'd make him a little something that might make the travelling a little easier.

The inspiration comes from Handmade Home again, and is what Amanda calls the "Family Heart". The idea is that when one in the family has to go away, whether for a sleepover or a business trip, they can take the heart with them and feel a bit more connected.

My heart is made out of my favourite spotty red batik fabric, with a little patch of soft flannel sewn on for the pocket. And inside the pocket is a little note.

It's the first few lines of E. E. Cumming's poem, "i carry your heart with me" which I thought fitted extremely well. (Although I did add in grammar and capital letters... sorry, E. E.!)

And it sits inside my big branchy heart over the fireplace, ready to be given to Justin tonight, when he gets home from accepting the job!

P.S. My sewing machine skills are improving no end! I can sew curves now without stopping to adjust every two seconds! Yay!

Shortie Fisherman Scarf

This was supposed to be my on-the-road project: a scarf for Justin to wear fishing. The yarn is actually three yarns rolled up together, which gives it this lovely multi-coloured effect. A bit like tweed, a bit like camoflague! I love it:

Unfortunately, I only bought two skeins. (EVERY other project I've done, I've had a whole extra ball left over, so I was frugal!)

It was on special sale, so when I went back today, and they had no more.

Eek!

I've used up all the yarn I have, and it's only this long:

Which, on Justin, just goes round his neck, with nothing to spare. So, I'm getting creative. Problems like this are how the best new ideas are born, right? Well, that's what I'm telling myself!

What I'm going to do is add onto the ends in this lovely brown mohair mix:

It's very 'tweedy' too, and will bring out the browns quite nicely, I hope. I'm really not sure the added stripes will look okay, but I'll try it! Nothing to lose, right? Give it some long tassels, too, and it'll be much longer in no time!